INDIANAPOLIS – The Dallas Cowboys are trying to clean up their overloaded salary cap. As a result, at least one young contributor is expected to hit the open market.

The Cowboys won’t tender running back Phillip Tanner as a restricted free agent, a person with knowledge of the decision told USA TODAY Sports on Sunday on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to comment publicly.

Tanner, 25, made the Cowboys’ roster as an undrafted free agent out of Middle Tennessee State in 2011 and has appeared in 39 games over three NFL seasons. He has 242 yards and two touchdowns on 65 career touches and played on all special teams.

The Cowboys can’t afford to offer a roughly $1.4 million deal for one year to a backup player at a time they’re trying to trim the fat. Pending cuts and restructures, their committed cap space for 2014 is nearly $156 million.

The cap is projected to be around $130 million, and the Cowboys will rolled over only about $1.28 million in unused space from 2013.